Sometimes..........

I thought the same thing. Perfect for a 'just following my GPS' meme.

 

Imagine driving down that dirt/sand/whatever the hell kinda trail that is and thinking to yourself "hm this doesnt look right" just to keep right on going. Common sense is a flower that just dont grow in everyone's garden

 

I wish I could always shut down at such a serene location. No reefers, no apu's, and no broken fan clutches to hear.

Best of all, you can wash yourself in the river after your morning duty.

 

As most here know, I'm a Swiftie (I actually refer to myself as a Swifter, because I drive refrigerated). I started at the Swift Academy in Phoenix in August of 2019. Got my CDL in September 2019 and began solo on November 1, 2019. I had 2 rookie preventables during my 1st month solo. Both truck parking lot mishaps, neither of which was serious damage and no injury. I have not had any other incidents to date. Just stating that so you know my experience.
Despite the bad reputation Swift has, my experience is that they are a good company to drive for. I work out of their Jurupa Valley terminal, so I can't speak to whether this is Swift wide, but I believe for the most part it is. Swift does alot to promote being safe. It is common to get a weekly phone call with a safety message. Most Qualcom messages mention something about being safe. If you are in an area with some safety concern, such as fog, they send out a blanket Qualcom message to all Swift drivers in that area to warn of the danger, remind you to slow down, increase following distance, etc. The message includes finding a place to park if you think conditions are too bad for you. On the occasions I have parked due to conditions, I have been thanked for taking the safe choice. Not once have I had even a hint of coercion at getting back on the road. Even if that shutdown caused my load to be late. I have never been given a service failure for that action either. I do know Swift has a company wide policy that the ONLY reason a driver should chain up is to proceed to a safe haven. Never should you chain to progress a load. They want you shut down instead. This policy was loudly published last year Swift wide when an incident with an inexperienced driver leader confused the issue. I've also seen them shut down the fleet over several states when wind conditions became too bad. They sent an emergency message to all driver in those states and had personnel calling all the drivers to ensure they got the message, find a safe haven and shut down till further notice.
My driver leader calls me several times a week just to check in and see if I'm doing OK and if she can do anything for me. My terminal manager has called me a couple of times just to check in with me. They run me pretty much the way I want to run.
So, while I do understand a bit about the reputation they have. They do have alot of new inexperienced drivers, and as Moosetek13 has pointed out, the vast majority of these Swift incidents are rookie mistakes. They are not a company that requires 2 years experience before they will even talk to you.
Swift has quite a few million mile and million mile plus drivers.
Anyway, my experience has been good. They have kept their promises, they treat me well, they promote being safe and do not try to coerce drivers to sacrifice being safe or running illegal to deliver a load.
And, the pay, at least for me, hasn't been really bad either. I've seen other companies advertising for drivers with less cpm than I'm making. I do get a bit extra due to being a Veteran and driving a reefer. So, unsure how what I get paid is similar to other drivers.
Bottom line, they aren't as bad a company to work for as they are made out to be.

 

I thought I would have my million miles in by the end of the year.
Not so much anymore after 6 days in the shop and another day sitting.
And I need to find a place for my DOT physical in the next few days.
January should ring that million mile bell for me.

Lots of bells going off recently.
I just hit 10 years at Swift, soon to be a million miler, and I turn 65 tomorrow.

 

Congradulations!!! I won't ever make it to the million mile club. I'll only be driving until April 2027, when I turn 67 and there's just not enough time to get there. Also, I'm not a mile ##### like many. I don't mind sitting a bit here and there. Fortunately, my terminal doesn't have problems with that and actually likes the flexibility I give them. I can do the little piddly things they sometimes need to get done to tie up loose ends here and there and not fuss about it. They always throw me some extra dough and I get some interesting adventures out of it.

 

With 10 years in I should have had a million before now, but I am a more 'relaxed' driver.
Some would call it lazy.
But, I'm not exactly lazy... I just like taking my time.

Still, it seems reaching certain goals/milestones like the one million mark seems all too like pushing through the next veil whilst walking the Pattern in Amber.
I am right there, but there are obstacles to overcome.

If you are not familiar with the Pattern and Amber, and if you like to read...
Look up the Amber series of books, by Roger Zelazny.
I always thought those books would have made a better series of movies than the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings ever could.

As you can see from my avatar... I have my own Pattern.

 

Any input on the Phoenix terminal? Or Swift vs Knight, any preference there?